Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 837 · 40 questions

Writer's tip (Show the actions): A telling sentence names the feeling: was sad, felt tired. A showing sentence describes actions, faces and bodies: tears, yawns, shaking knees. Pick the showing sentence that fits the right feeling.

1. 1.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is hungry? (a) Diya was hungry. (b) Diya gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (c) Diya’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.
2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is hungry? (a) Ishaan kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) Tears filled Ishaan’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (c) Ishaan was hungry.
3. 3.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Yash’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.” (a) bored (b) angry (c) sad
4. 4.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Saanvi’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.” (a) tired (b) scared (c) bored
5. 5.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Aarav hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) telling (b) showing
6. 6.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Aryan was happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
7. 7.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Dev’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.” (a) showing (b) telling
8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “A tear rolled slowly down Kabir’s cheek.” (a) sad (b) happy (c) tired
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is cold? (a) Kabir was cold. (b) Kabir shivered and stamped his feet in the snow. (c) Kabir licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
10. 10.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sahil froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.” (a) cold (b) scared (c) sad
11. 11.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Imran was bored.” (a) showing (b) telling
12. 12.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Imran was really hungry.” (a) telling (b) showing
13. 13.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Vihaan licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) tired (b) bored (c) hungry
14. 14.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) happy (b) tired (c) angry
15. 15.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tenzin laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) tired (b) cold (c) happy
16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan was really sad.” (a) telling (b) showing
17. 17.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kavya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) showing (b) telling
18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Simran was really hungry.” (a) telling (b) showing
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is sad? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Aarav’s cheek. (b) Aarav was sad. (c) Aarav dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is sad? (a) Maria grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) Maria’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (c) Maria was sad.
21. 21.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Farhan’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.” (a) bored (b) cold (c) scared
22. 22.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Vihaan’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.” (a) hungry (b) scared (c) tired
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is hungry? (a) Pooja was hungry. (b) Pooja’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (c) Pooja sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.
24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Vihaan froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.” (a) showing (b) telling
25. 25.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tara’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.” (a) tired (b) hungry (c) cold
26. 26.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Kabir’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.” (a) tired (b) sad (c) scared
27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is bored? (a) Kavya was bored. (b) Kavya sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Kavya gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.
28. 28.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Priya rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.” (a) angry (b) sad (c) cold
29. 29.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Neel hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) showing (b) telling
30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is bored? (a) Kavya was bored. (b) Kavya licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (c) Kavya counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
31. 31.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Neel threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) angry (b) cold (c) hungry
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is angry? (a) Farhan was angry. (b) Farhan stamped his foot and slammed the door. (c) Farhan’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.
33. 33.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Simran rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.” (a) angry (b) tired (c) cold
34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is scared? (a) Dev stamped his foot and slammed the door. (b) Dev was scared. (c) Dev’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.
35. 35.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.” (a) telling (b) showing
36. 36.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Meera sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) angry (b) happy (c) bored
37. 37.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Manav kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) showing (b) telling
38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is happy? (a) Arjun could barely keep his eyes open at dinner. (b) Arjun was happy. (c) Arjun laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) telling (b) showing
40. 40.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera was really sad.” (a) showing (b) telling

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